Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest I feel most alive surrounded by trees and breathing in the fresh mountain air.
When I am not working you will most likely find me spending time outdoors, volunteering with my church and exploring this beautiful planet with my family.
This is my place to share my passion for life and to encourage you to take time to find the extraordinary in your life.
I have always wanted to visit Glacier National Park in the Winter and a couple weeks ago we finally made it happen. One of my favorite things to do is hike the same trails over and over again, but during different seasons. I had heard the Going to the Sun road was closed during the Winter, but being able to walk along it instead of drive was a thrill. In general, the park was quiet, and beautiful, but it was also a good reminder how traveling during the off season will always have its benefits.
We just returned from spending a few relaxing days in Whitefish, Montana. During our time there we hiked in Glacier National park, cooked delicious meals together and enjoyed being outside as much as possible. However, a majority of our time was spent enjoying the comfort and beauty of a wonderful place called River Meadow Ranch. River Meadow Ranch is a gorgeous property boasting not one, but two spectacular rental homes. The first home is a five bedroom, three bath fully restored hand hewn log home and the second home (the one we stayed in) is a newly built five bedroom, four bath house located on seven acres and offering stunning mountain views.
I know it is not technically Spring, but it has certainly felt like it the past couple of weeks. We have enjoyed the warmer weather immensely and have tried to spend a majority our of day outside when time permits. The bonus of being a Northwest native, is unless it is pouring rain than I consider it a good day to be outside. Jasper is completely content to spend as much time as possible outside where he likes to spot all the birds, planes and dogs he sees. These days there is also no greater thrill than his shadow or the brush of the wind on his cheeks. All these things combined make it both completely fun and utterly invigorating to be outside.
This year Easter comes early (at the end of March!), so I have done my best to get a head start so I can avoid aimlessly roaming around Target the night before. If I am going to spend money on Jasper's Easter basket I want it to be filled with things I know he will both use and love.
A few weeks ago I got the idea to surprise Cameron at work with balloons. It seemed easy enough, but I always seem to forget the "toddler factor" which puts a unique spin on every situation. We hurried out the door to the grocery store to select our balloons. Immediately, I was disappointed they didn't carry heart shaped balloons...aren't those as basic as toothpaste!? Once we settled on something else and they started to fill them with helium Jasper became upset by the sound. On the way to the car, it was a tug of war between Jasper and I with the. Once inside the car, Jasper had the brilliant idea to run his fingers back and forth across the balloons making the most hideous noise. On our way to Cameron's work I started to ponder why I thought this was a good idea to begin with. I was certain the balloons would pop and Jasper would either freak out or choke to death on a ballon. Fortunately, neither of those things happened. Once downtown things started to look up, we immediately found a parking spot and made our way a few blocks to Cameron's office. At our destination, we called him and told him to look outside his window. I wished I could have seen the smile spread across his face when he looked out the window and saw his precious little boy holding a handful of balloons blowing in the wind.
When the sun is shining and the hiking trails are still covered in snow we like to spend our Saturdays taking little day trips around the state. In order for it to be a day well spent, we like to eat delicious food, see beautiful or interesting places and spend a majority of our day outside rather than in the car. One of our favorite little day trips is to drive up to Mukilteo and take the ferry to Clinton. From there we make a pit stop in Langley for a little shopping and then onto Coupeville for lunch. After lunch we like to spend the late afternoon at Ebey's Landing or Fort Casey to enjoy the beautiful visitas and breathe in the fresh air. Depending on our mood and the hours of sunlight left we might drive up to Deception Pass, stop in La Conner for dinner and then make our way home via I-5. On this particular day, we drove back the way we came and took the ferry back over to Mukilteo.
Now that Jasper is so mobile, it is fun to see what new things he discovers with each visit to the Seattle Aquarium. This time it was the little cut out in the window he repeatedly delighted putting his hand in and out of, last time it was the harbor seals and every time he is fascinated by the white spotted jellyfish. I appreciate how their is an indoor and outdoor area to the aquarium which makes it appealing for both rainy and overcast days. We love being outside and don't mind getting rained on, but it is also nice to be able to come back inside and warm up a bit before heading back out. Jasper has opened my eyes to a whole other side of the aquarium I would not think to appreciate it and that is its prime waterfront location. He loves standing on the dock by the harbor seals watching the cars zoom by on 99, the helicopters and birds fly around in the sky and the ferries and sailboats cruise by on the water.
For those of you who haven't heard Filson opened a new flagship store in the same building where they develop, sample, cut and sew their goods. This store is extra special not only for its location, but because they offer some limited edition items not available anywhere else. A couple weeks ago we finally paid a visit to the new Filson flagship store in SODO. Once inside the large wooden doors we were greeted with a two story photo of Iditarod dogs. To say my dog obsessed son was delighted at this sight is the understatement of the year. Drawn into the space by this photograph, we made our way up the winding staircase to reach the main floor of retail. The vibe was masculine and moody, but I immediately felt at home in the space. Between the juxtaposition of steel against the exposed wood beams, the richness of the leather and coziness of the plaid it was a very inviting space. Even the taxidermy felt luxurious and thoughtfully placed. As we spent the following hour searching high and low for the perfect gift for Cameron, I made note to return to this wonderful space soon. My only critique would be that I wished they had a children's section. My little mountain man would look awful handsome matching his Dad in one of those plaid shirts.
Jasper has reached the age where he is super engaged and interested in all the places we go. He is no longer interested in napping in the stroller or being carried in the Ergo so rather than an accessory to my every day he is an active and interested partner in crime. In an effort to capitalize on this period of time in our lives and engage his brain in new and exciting ways I have made it a point to devote two days a week to outings. Living so close to downtown Seattle we have a wide array of interesting places at our disposal ie. parks, outdoor markets, museums, children theater etc. I have decided to invest in a few annual passes and then just try my best to make the most of what is around me. We can only visit the local park for an hour or two a couple of days a week before we are both bored and in need of additional stimulation.
I don't talk about it much, but I am a big fan of the idea of dating your spouse. Although we have been married for over ten and a half years I still get excited at the prospect of getting dressed up, making reservations, buying tickets and have a concrete plan for an evening. However, lately I have equally enjoyed the "day date" which consists of anything we do minus our son. A couple weeks ago, we extended our staycation by heading directly to the mountains after checking out of our hotel. As much as I love bringing our son along for our adventures there was something very nostalgic and romantic about it just being the two of us together in the outdoors. While we were snowshoeing it brought back a flood of memories of our past adventures and made me happy how much we took advantage of our time together before children.
There are so many places in Seattle I repeatedly hear about and the Volunteer Park Cafe is one of those places. Since we have never visited before, we made it a point to stop by last Saturday for brunch. When we arrived, I was surprised to see just how far the line to order stretched out the door. Once inside, the large, bustling communal tables gave the place a real sense of community. Parking was a breeze, the food was delicious and there were so many tantalizing options on the menu I am certain we will be back soon. I ordered the Bacon, Arugula and Fontina quiche, Cameron enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich, Jasper had a Cherry Almond scone and we all fought over the Chocolate Chip Toffee cookie.
It is easy to think in the middle of Winter that everything is brown and dead at the Washington Park Arboretum, but with our temperate climate nothing could be farther from the truth. The Washington Park Arboretum has 230 acres of land with a wide assortment of plants, many found nowhere else. The Washington Park Arboretum is operated jointly by the University of Washington and the City of Seattle and is immaculately taken care of. There is a beautiful camellia garden bursting with different shades of pink and white and the crocuses are beginning to pop up along with the magnolia trees getting their flower buds. It is a fragrant time of year too and if I knew a bit more about flowers I could tell you exactly what I was smelling. The other fantastic part of Winter at the Arboretum is that its relatively vacant in comparison to Spring and Summer, so if you don't mind donning a warm coat and hat you can have the place pretty much to yourself.
All of the sudden my little baby has turned into a walking, talking, dog loving, board book aficionado and I could not be prouder. Just when I think he has reached the best age, a month goes by and he becomes even more delightful. Last week, as I was admiring how his new haircut made him look older I reflected on the past fifteen months. Often, it is hard to imagine what life was like prior to his arrival. He fills my days with laughs, giggles, smiles and the occasional display of independence. It is an honor to have a front row seat to see the person he is going to become, to be his safe haven and the recipient of his endless affection. He is the friendliest, most outgoing guy I know and for as little as he is he has a heart the size of an elephant.
For months I have seen enticing photos of General Porpoise all over Instagram. One Saturday morning, Jasper and I finally visited to see what all the hype was about. What we found when we arrived was a light and bright interior, friendly staff, tantalizing favors, delicious donuts and about one million other reasons we will be returning again soon. The moment we sat down at the counter and I gave Jasper his Vanilla Custard doughnut he was all business about devouring it. It was like he couldn't believe his good fortune in getting such a special treat all to himself. Little did he know I was silently savoring my Chocolate Marshmallow all to myself too. I love how social media has helped create a buzz of support for these little places dotted around the city. We can't wait to return and try all the other flavors very soon.
There aren't really words to describe my feelings for my husband, Cameron. If you made a list of every quality I lack these would be the very qualities which describe him. He is patient, kind, slow to anger, forgiving, flexible, easy to get along with, funny, generous and laid back. He has helped me carve out a life that is beyond anything I could have ever imagined. We adventure, dream, laugh, act silly, often stay up way too late, make plans and fiercely love each other and our children. He makes life a joy to live and makes every day special.
As of late, we have made a concerted effort to use of our Seattle Aquarium membership. When we purchased it I thought we would go all the time, but before we know it months have gone by and we are missing out on all the fun happenings at the aquarium. On any given day there are animal presentations, scheduled feedings and tank dives. In the handful of times we have visited we have seen both the octopus and otters feed, been able to touch a sea anemone or two, watched a scuba diver dance, feed the fish and give Jasper a high five and have learned more about fish and water mammals than I ever knew before. I know taking a toddler downtown can often be a bit of a hassle, but the expression on Jasper's face when he happily plays in the tide pools, or is a bit caught off guard when the seals swim is not something I can replicate at home. The Seattle Aquarium also offers Toddler Time a few times a month and I am looking forward to taking him one of these days.
I have recently learned the joys associated with a staycation. I used to think in order for it to be considered a "real" vacation it needed to include a plan ride or a long drive. Now, especially as a parent to a small child; I understand vacations in a broader sense. A vacation can consist of a day or two away and all that needs to occur is a break from your normal routine. Basically, it is the adult equivalent to a child getting a day off from school and really just a good excuse to play hooky. A few days ago, my husband and I packed a small suitcase, sent our sweet little boy off to Grandma's and Grandpa's and for a couple days and enjoyed the perks of hotel living at The Palladian and being a tourist in our own town.
As the sun hung low in the sky we set out on the Ridge Trail which intersects with the Bluff Trail at Ebey's Landing. We walked the picturesque half mile through rolling farmland to the bluff where we watched the sun quickly dip below the horizon. Watching the sunset in the Winter always feels like a rare treat for a number of reasons, but primarily because the skies are usually shrouded with thick gray clouds and because it occurs so early in the day it is easy to miss.
A few weeks ago I stumbled across the most charming little shop in Langley called edit. I know we are often told to not judge a book by its cover or a store by its storefront, but I was immediately drawn into the space from the curb. Upon stepping into edit.it was as if someone had hand picked the items specifically for me. Every item was so thoughtfully curated, each with its own purpose, and beauty. It is rare I can enter a shop and find something for myself, my fourteen month old son and my husband, but at edit. this occurred.
Some days the weather is crazy here. One minute it is pouring rain, the next sunshine and then wait another minute and a strong gust of wind will hit you in the face. Sporadic pretty much summed up the weather this past weekend which repeatedly shut down Snoqualmie Pass and halted our plans for a Saturday of snowshoeing. As a last minute change of plans we decided to spend an afternoon exploring closer to home by hiking down to Snoqualmie Falls followed by brunch at the Salish Lodge. The trail down to the falls is only one mile round trip so it is an easy hike even for little ones.
